Sacroiliac Joint Inflamation

[confusedks]

I don't know if this is Celiac related at all because it is a joint problem. I was told by my dr. the other day that I have a problem with my SI joint when they had thought it was a disc bulge that was causing all the problems. It turns out I have to have ANOTHER cortisone epidural for it (I had 2 for the disc bulge which they thought was the problem.) Since the sciatic nerve runs through your pelvic area, it mimics disc pain. It is REALLY painful. I guess my question is does anyone have experience with this, and how did it get better or did it not get better?

Kassandra

[Worriedwife]

My husband occasionally has difficulty with the sciatic nerve. Since it runs through a very small hole in that area, if it gets the slightest bit inflamed it is VERY painful. The only thing that helps him is rest and ibuprofen. Sometimes ice packs on the hip area helps as well.

Hope you feel better!

[mylady4]

There is a difference between the sacroiliac joint and the sciatic nerve. The joint is a smaller joint in the pevis/lower back that joins your pelvis to your spine. This joint provides your body with the sliding motion it needs for walking. The sciatic nerve is located in the lower lumbar region and usually involves the legs and the pinching of the nerve. I have had problems with both. If you look each of them up on the web it will explain it more. Sciatic nerve pain radiates down my leg and it feel like the leg is going to give out and the hip needs to crack. My sacroiliac joints are pretty much in pain all of the time. It feels like the butt hurts and is located in the low part of my back pelvis. Massage therapy has helped in the past, but I have not gone for a while and it is really bothering me.

I have heard that there is some connection between celiac and arthritis. I have never had a bulged disc so I cannot help you with that. I would try a message therapist but make sure that it is one who is familiar with back problems. See if your doctor can recommend someone.

Hope that helps

Nicole

[confusedks]

Thanks for the replies. I am in PT and have been for about 5 weeks. The way my Orthopedic Surgeon explained it is that the sciatic nerve runs through the pelvic area and lower back, so a lot of the times SI Joint problems imitate sciatica. I also have a disc bulge, but we don't know which one is really causing the problems. The doctors are so confused also because I'm only 17!!! It seems I'm too young for all of this.

Kassandra

[mylady4]

Your age might make a difference. I had all sorts of problems when I was 17. That is when the sciatic nerve bothered me the most because I think I was just finishing growing and the pelvis was ever expanding to prepare my body for future motherhood (my hips just kept getting wider). I was seeing a chiripractor at the time as well because I had some scoliosis (sp?).

Hope they figure out something soon. It sucks being in pain all the time.

Good Luck

Nicole

[confusedks]

Hm, that's interesting. I have Schuermann's Disease which is a curve of your spine...different than scoliosis. It is the curve when you look at someone's profile...it should be 20 degrees....mine is 67 both upper and lower. So apparently it has shifted my pelvis and it has shifted. Ugh, I don't know. This just sucks!

Kassandra

[tarnalberry]

I have sacroilliac instability issues, and I'm seeing a chiropractor for it. If you can find one that specializes in structural based correction (posture, traction, and adjustment) I'd recommend it. My problem is a combination of twists along the spine and general tendency in my posture, along with a pelvis that isn't the same 'height' on both sides. (The effect of the last one is - at the spine - as though I had different leg lengths; I don't, the 'length' difference in manifested in the pelvis, but a heel lift is helping there.) Along with that, there's a tilt (not quite scoliosis, though) in the spine that I'm on my way to fixing.

The other important thing, for me, is to not stay too stationary. Chairs are evil! (I have an exercise ball at work due to the sacroilliac issues.)

I'd search out other opinions as well, not that your ortho is bad, but at 17, your spine shouldn't have seen so much wear.

[confusedks]

My only concern is that I went to a chiropractor for a while and he never noticed my "hunchback and swayback." When you look at me it is fairly noticeable. So, I am afraid to go to another one. I am in PT and that is helping, but the pain was so bad I was in the hospital for 6 days and ugh! I am just so annoyed and the dr. is saying if the PT and epidural injection doesn't help...surgery will be the answer. That scares the crap out of me! It uses bolts and screws because it needs to be stationary. This is just so scary and the pain is so exhausting!

Kassandra

[frec]

I am sorry you are in pain. I was also diagnosed with a bulging L5-S1 disk that has morphed into an unstable SI joint this past year. Sometimes I think one malfunction sets off the next one. Anyway, I really want to avoid surgery. I have tried cortisone epidurals but they only help for a while, and if you get them too often the cortisone is bad for the bones. The good thing about epidurals is that SI joint problems are hard to diagnose. If the epidural helps (especially the local anesthetic), you'll know you've been diagnosed correctly.

Someday you might want to investigate prolotherapy. It is a kind of naturopathic epidural--no steroids, usually a glucose or saline solution--and it is supposed to tighten the joint by temporarily inflaming it a bit more and strengthening the ligament. It is rather new and sometimes insurance doesn't cover it. It helped my facet joints and next week I am trying it on my SI joint. Meanwhile I agree with tarnalberry. Chairs are evil. Keep moving, but gently. Swimming makes me feel much better. So does putting ice on the joint for short periods. Good luck.

[georgie]

I had this pain for years and despite chiros etc it never improved. I have a bulging disc.... I had Prolotherapy 3 years ago for that area and its been a 99% success ! Hardly any pain at all now unless I do something silly and lift a heavy object. The Dr explained that my ligaments were slack and movement was causing friction of nerve fibres hence the pain. Physio will not improve slack ligaments - only Prolotherapy. I had about 20 jabs a session , and 8 sessions - 1 x week . That was 3 years ago now. Good luck.

[Nancym]

You might want to see a rhuematologist as you could have Ankylosing Spondylitis, it often starts in the lower back and shows up in young folks often. I hope you don't, it isn't a fun disease to have. But if you do, then bookmark this web site: kickas.org and give a starch free diet a try, lots of AS patients are controlling their symptoms with it.

Good luck!